Christmas to Come: a heartbreaking coming of age saga set in London's East End Carol Rivers (best sales books of all time .txt) 📖

Mary squinted at the little figure standing beside her. 'Your kid?'

Bella nodded. 'This is Michael.'

'Like peas in a pod, Teresa and him. Same eyes, same hair.' She laughed coarsely. 'You and me, both with kids. Except you are standing there in all your finery and him beside you looking like he walked out of 'arrods, whilst my poor girl has only rags. And all because you took away my Jack who is now dead and buried.' She screwed up her eyes. 'But a fat lot you care about us and that's the truth!'

'Jack's dead?'

'Gawd rest his poor soul.' Mary Doyle sniffed loudly. 'He was nothing but a cripple anyway. Drank his bleedin' self to death and left me to go out scrubbing floors, despite my poor health.'

'Mum?' The small voice came from the darkened inside of the house.

'What do you want now, girl?'

With the eerie echo of her own voice as a child, Bella watch as Teresa slowly appeared.

'I've wet me knickers.' A pool was forming on the floor at her feet.

A girl with dark hair was singing 'Santa Baby' and trying to sound like the popular singer, Eartha Kitt. Bella was watching her as she drew the attention from the men by twisting her hips in a snake-like dress of silver lame. Two other girls in fishnet tights and short red skirts were sitting astride a sleigh. The scene was supposed to be set amongst the mountains, but the scenery behind showed green hills and trees dotted with white paint. One of the antlers had fallen off of the cardboard reindeer's head.

Bella knew that none of the audience was bothered about detail. The Fortune Club in Soho was a hostess club and the men here had come to enjoy what was on offer, namely the alcohol and women.

Bella felt ridiculously overdressed. She was sitting at the table with Micky, wearing her new dress. It was midnight blue nylon tulle, full skirted, with a velvet bow tied at the back of the strapless bodice. The first cocktail dress she had ever bought. She had gone up West with Dolly to buy it last Saturday whilst Percy had looked after the three children. Now Bella wished she had never gone to the trouble. The club was full of old, sweaty looking men who were ogling the singer and the two girls. Beside them the hostesses sat drinking champagne. Or what really was, as she knew now, just tonic water and lemonade. She would rather have gone to the cinema to see The Barefoot Contessa but she didn't want to refuse Micky when he told her he had a surprise in store.

The girl finished her act and there was a half-hearted applause. Micky's was the loudest as he whistled through his teeth. The girl gazed across and smiled, stepping down from the stage on her high heels and crossing to their table.

'Hello Micky. Enjoying yourself?'

Micky grinned. 'Bella, this is Suzie.' He nodded to the stage. 'Go on then, give us another song, sweetheart.

Suzie winked and smiled flirtatiously as she left.

Bella's mouth had fallen open. 'What was that all about? Who is she?'

'The entertainment, of course.'

'But you know her.'

'Course I do. This is my surprise, Bells. You should be very proud of your old man. I am now the owner of the Fortune Club. Or at least part owner with old Ivor. Remember him? He used to run Club Afrika. Sold it about a year ago and bought this little gaff. Met him again by pure chance. Came to the garage one day to buy a car.'

'Why should you want to do business with him?'

'Because he's sitting on top of a goldmine. I mean, look around you at the potential. It's a cracker.' Micky's smile faded. 'Well, are you going to congratulate me?'

'What for? I don't like this place, Micky.'

'What do you mean?' he demanded, suddenly sobering up.

'Why buy a club? You could have got another garage.'

'I don't want another garage. I want this.'

Bella looked into his eyes. 'Clubs are risky as Ronnie found out.'

Micky glared at her. 'Before you start on about Ronnie, I've already told him.'

'About this club?' Bella gasped. 'What did he say?'

'What does it matter what he said? Why are you always so bothered about his opinion, anyway? I bought into the Fortune with my own cash and Ronnie has no part in it. This drum is nothing like the Blue Moon. It's too small for anyone to want to take over. It will do me just fine, until such time as I want to spread my wings. But one day I promise you, the Fortune is going to make us very rich.'

'I don't want to be rich if we have to live dangerously.'

Suddenly Micky stood up. 'You are one stroppy mare, Bells.'

She looked round them, embarrassed at the disturbance they were making. 'I'm your wife and I don't like you shouting at me.'

'You might be my wife,' Micky retaliated, 'but you're not my minder. Now get your coat, we're leaving.'

Without speaking, Bella rose from her chair and walked sedately out to the cloakroom. But inside she was shaking.

Bella watched Micky drive away. The wheels of the car screeched as he sped off in the darkness, missing Lenny's car by inches. He had driven fast all the way home in an angry silence. She had expected him to come in with her but after she had climbed out he had just driven off.

She was worried. Very worried. Was he going back to the Fortune? Was he going to see Suzie again?

Bella shivered in the cold December night. She looked up at the big house and regretted Ronnie's decision to move out. He now lived in rooms with Joyce and she knew he was the only one who could influence Micky. What had he said to Micky when he told him about the Fortune? Whatever it was, Micky hadn't changed his mind.

Slowly she descended the steps. Light spilled out from the window